Connecting device for electrical conductors.



" G. L. SCHEEL.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-17,1915.

1,178,267. Patentjed Apr. 4, 1916.

4 2 62 a. y I .5" a/lffibrrwey fir) GEORGE L. SCHEEL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application filed March 17, 1915. Serial No. 14,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, GEORGE L. SCHEIEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices for Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in connecting devices for electrical conductors, and has for its object the production of a device of this character designed to permit of free relative rotary movement of the electrical devices or conductor wires which are connected thereto.

A'further object is the production of a connecting device, as mentioned, which will be of simple construction and efficient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Vith these objects in view, the invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a connecting device embodying my inventiomFig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the device shown in Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 4 are sections taken on lines aF-w and g respectively of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a partially sectional side elevation of another form of my connecting device, and Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the elements of the device shown in Fig. 5.

The preferred form of construction, as

- illustrated in the drawing, comprises female and male members 1 and 2 respectively, which are formed of fiber or other suitable insulating material. Formed in one end of the member 1 is a circular recess 3 in the bottom of which is arranged av series of balls 4 mounted for free movement, in an annular hall race 5 which is securely fastened in the bottom ofsaid recess. The edges of said ball race engage with the balls 4 beyond the centers thereof so as to prevent disengagement of, said balls, as will be readily understood. Provided at the mouth of the recess 3 is a second series of balls 6 which are correspondingly mounted in an annular ball race 7 also securely fastened in position.

in the member 1. The balls 4 and 6 are arranged in circular formation, the path of the former being of less diameter than that of the latter so that a circular opening is formed between the balls 4 of less diameter than that formed between the balls 6.

- Provided at the outer or opposite end of the member 1 are screws 8 and 9 which engage with conductor strips 10 and 11 respectively which connect with the ball races 5 and 7, respectively. The screws 8 and 9 serve as binding posts for connection with the conductor wires 12 and 13 in connection with which the connecting device. is employed. Formed upon the member 1 between the screws 8 and 9 is a lug or flange 14 in which is formed a plurality of spaced openings 15. The conductor wires 12 and 13 in the connection thereof with the screws 8 and 9 are laced through the openings 15 in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3, the tortuous formation or kinking of the wire which results from engagement thereof with the openings 15 serving to relieve any strain upon the screws 8 and 9 through pulling or tugging at the outer ends of the conductor wires, the lug or flange 14 assuming this burden, as will be .readily understood.

Formed upon the male member 2 is an axialprojection 16 adapted to enter the recess 3 in the member 1, as clearlyv shown in Fig. 2. Provided at the outer end of projection 16 is an annular metallic flange or head 17 secured in position by means of an axial bolt 18. Provided at the base of the projection 16 is also an annular flange 19 similar to the member 17 said members 17 and 19 being adapted, upon insertion of projection 18 into recess 3, to engage between the balls 4 and 6 respectively in order to lock the rotary movement thereof. To effect thelocking of said members together, as mentioned, the flanges 17 and 19 are enlarged or bulged adjacent their outer ends, and said flanges are longitudinally slitted, the balls 4 and 6 being adapted to engage behind said enlarged portions in the locking of the members 1 and 2 together. When the parts are connected together, the flanges 17 and 19 will be in a state of tension, pressing outwardly against the balls 4 and 6 so as to prevent any lost motion and insure constant contact of'said flanges with said balls.

Provided upon the opposite end of the member 2 are screws 20 and 21, the former of which engages witha conductor link or movement of the parts.

strip 22 connected with the bolt 18, the screw 21 engaging with a conductor strip 23 connected with the member 19 and which projects through the body of member 2, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The screws and 21 serve as binding posts for connection with the conductor wires 21 and 25. in connection with which the device is employed, said conductor wires. in the connection thereof with the screws 20 and 21 being passed through spaced perforations 26 formed in lugs 27 which are provided upon the adjacent side of the member :2, as clearly shown in Fig. I. The lugs 27 serve the same function as the lug 11. above described.

With the construction set forth. it will be seen, that when the wires 12 and 13, and 2t and are connected with the male and female members 1 and :2 of the device, as shown, an electrical connection will be established between said wires through the device. In the electrical connection thus established. the cur fent will pass say from the wire 12 through conductor element 10 to the ball race 5. thence through the balls I to the member 17. thence through the securing bolt- 18 and conductor link :22 to the wire 24. The wire 13 will be connected through the conductor element 11. ball race '4', ball 6, member 19 and conductor element 23 with the wire 25. The connection which is thus established will be maintained notwithstanding rotation of the parts, as will be readily lmderstood. The provision of bearing balls at the points of contact of the male and female members alleviates friction and thus permits of a maximum of free-rotary In order to protect the connecting elements provided at the remote sides of the male and female connecting members, caps 28 and :29 of fiber are threaded upon said ends of said members, as clearly shown in the several views. The

outer ends of said caps are perforated, as

shown, to permit of the passage of the conductor wires.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the principal feature of the invention is shown applied to a socket connection. In this embodimentof the invention a metallic female member 30 is employed provided at one end with a disk 31 of insulating material which is secured to the member 30 by means of screws 32. Fastened to the disk 31 is the ball race 5' in which the balls at are mounted, said balls and ball race corresponding with the .balls I and ball race 5 of the first described form. At the opposite end of the member 30 is provided a ball race 7' in which balls6' are mounted in the same manner as the balls 6 and ball race 7 of the first described form. The two series of balls are so arranged as to be adapted for engagement with the portions 17 and 19 of the male member in precisely the same manner as the balls 4 and 6,

above described. In the latter form, the ball race 5' is formed with a central projection 33 which extends centrally through the disk 31 to form a contact for engagement with the contact'provided centrally at the bottom of an ordinary electric socket, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The member 30 is formed with screw threads for engagement with the threads of the conventional socket. as will be readily understood. In this arrangement, it will be seen, that an electrical connection will be established between the member 30 and the th eaded walls of the socket engaged by said member. Said member 30 in turn is connected with the ball race 7'. the current being adapted to pass through the latter to the balls 6', to th member 19 and thence through the member :2, in the manner above described. The current passing through the other terminal of the socket is adapted to pass through 'the contact to the ball race 5', thence to the balls 1', to the member 17 whence the same is adapted to pass through the member 2, in the manner above set forth. With this arrangement. it will be seen that, a connec- .tion will be established between the socket and the member :2 which will permit of free relative rotation of the latter.

hile I have illustrated and described the preferred forms of construction for carrying my invention into effect. these are capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore. do not wish to, be limited to the precise details of construction set forth. but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. connecting device for electrical conductors comprising a pair of male and female connecting members; a series of balls arranged in one of said members in circular formation; an exteriorly projecting con- 'ductor connected with said balls; means on the other of said members adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls for locking mid members together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof; and an exteriorly projecting conductor connected with said last mentioned means. substantially as described.

2. A connecting device for electrical conductors comprising a pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on each of said members; two series of balls arranged in one of said members in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; means on the other of said membersadapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls for locking said members together so as to thereof; and a connection permit of relative rotarymovement thereof and a connectlon between said last mentloned means and the corresponding conductor elements, substantially as described.

3. A connecting device for electrical conductors'comprising. a pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on each of said members; two series of balls arranged in said female member in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; means on said male member adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member for lockin said members together so as to permit 0% relative rotary movement thereof; and a connection between said last mentioned means and the corresponding conductor elements, substantially as described.

4. An electrical connecting device comprising a pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on each of said members; two series of balls arranged in-said female member in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; resilient means on said male member adapted for releasable engage.

ment with'sa'id series of balls of said female member for locking said members together so as to permit of relative rotary movement between said-last mentioned means and the corresponding conductor elements, substantially as described.

5. An electrical connecting device comprising a pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on each of said members; two series of balls arranged in said female member in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; annular resilient members on said male member adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member for locking the latter and said male member together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof; and a connection between said annular resilient members and the correspondingconductordevices, substantially as described. 7

6. An electrical connecting. device comprising a pair of male and female connectlng members; conductor elements on each of sald members; two series of balls arranged in said female member in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; annular resilient flanges on said male member adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member; annular enlargements formed at the outer hind which said balls are adapted toengage to lock said members together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof;

and a connection between said flanges and the corresponding conductor elements, substantially as described.

larenlargements formed in ing a body; conductor ends of said flanges be-' An electrical connecting device com prising a .pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on each of said members; two series of balls arranged in said female member in circular formation and connected with the corresponding conductor elements; annular metallic longitudi-' nally split flanges on said male member adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member; annuhind which said balls are adapted to engage to lock said members together and permit of relative rotary movement thereof; and' a connection between said flanges and the corresponding conductor elements, substantially as described.

prlsing a pair of male and female connecting members, each of said members compriselements on the outer ends of said body, the inner end of the body of said female member having a recess; two series ofballs arranged in said recess in circular formation and each connected with one of the corresponding conductor elements; a projection on the inner end of the body of said male member adapted to enter the recess in said female member; annular resilient means on said projection adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member for locking the latter and said male member together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof; and a connection between said annular resilient means and the corresponding conduc- J tor elements, substantially as described.

9. An electrical connecting device comprising a pair of male and female connecting members, each of said members comprising a body of insulating material; conductor elements on the outer ends of said bod for connection with conductor wires; the inner end of the body of said female member having a recess; two series of'balls arraeged'in said recess in circular formation an each connected with one of the corresponding conductor elements; a projection on the inner end of the body of said male member adapted to enter the recess in said female member; annular resilient means on said projection adapted for releasable engage ment with said series of balls 'of said female member for locking the latter and said male member together so as to permit of relative" prising a pair of male and female connecting members, each of said members comprising a body of insulating material; conductor elements on theouter ends of said bodies for connection with conductor wires, the inner said flanges be 8. An electrical connecting device combase of said projection and the other at the outer end thereof. said annular resilient members being adapted for releasable engagement with said series of balls of said female member for locking the latter and said male member together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof: and a connection between said annular resilient members and the corresponding conductor elements substantially as described.

11. An electrical connection comprising a pair of male and female connecting members; conductor elements on the remote ends of said members adapted for the connection of conductor wires therewith; perforated lugs on said members adjacent said conductor elements for engagement with the conductor wires connected with said conductor elements: a projection on said male member adapted to enter said female member; and a series of balls in said female member adapted for engagement with said projection to lock said members together so as to permit of relative rotary movement thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE L. SCHEEL. \Yitnesses:

JOSHUA R. H. Porrs, HELEN F. LILLIS. 

